Whether it’s using recycled carpet, denim for insulation or waterless urinals, buildings in the San Gabriel and Pomona valleys are becoming more “green.”

“Twenty-five years ago, environmentalists represented one fringe group of the community,” said Gary Kates, dean of Pomona College in Claremont. “Now, those who aren’t environmentalists are in the fringe.”

As recycled materials become more available, and as energy costs continue to rise, experts said thinking green makes environmental and business sense.

“When we first started, we couldn’t find recycled materials,” said Annie Argento, operations manager of Pasadena-based Yorkshire Development. “Now, the industry has exploded.”

Mark von Wodtke, co-founder of Environmental Design Group in Claremont, said he has seen a spike in environmentally friendly architecture.

“We’ve been doing these kinds of things for more than 30 years, and recently, more people are starting to see the real benefits,” von Wodtke said. “It is becoming much more mainstream.”

There are still developers who continue to shy away from green-construction techniques.

“It’s kind of a mystery to me,” he said. “Some people say it’s going to cost more. There might be a slight increase up front, but it takes a little money to save money.”

For those who do not want to invest in solar panels or waterless urinals, there are other, cheaper alternatives.

“Just pay attention to the orientation of the building and where windows are located,” said von Wodtke. “Those are things that don’t cost anything and can save tremendously in operating cost.”

Those willing to pay the up-front costs have turned to a rating system, called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design , developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Buildings are evaluated based on their sustainability, water savings, energy efficiency, use of recycled materials and indoor environmental quality, said Lance Williams, executive director of the U.S. Green Building Council in Los Angeles.

“You don’t want to build on [an] area that is open space or close to floodplains,” Williams said. “What we want to do is recognize that, although we are in the urban landscape, we can still preserve the environment.”

The first city in the San Gabriel Valley to receive LEED certification was Pasadena. Today, Williams said Pasadena is considered one of the foremost green-building cities in the world.

Yorkshire Development set the standard for environmental buildings in the Valley three years ago, with its 22,000-square-foot sustainable facility on Walnut Street, Argento said.

Since then, public and private agencies in the region have begun to follow suit, including two local universities.

“Colleges have always seen themselves as models for what is socially responsible,” said Kates, “and nothing is more responsible than constructing green buildings.”

Pomona College will soon have two academic buildings that will be LEED certified. Both are scheduled to open at the end of the year.

The college unveiled the Richard C. Seaver Biology Building just last year. At 46,270 square feet and three stories tall, the building has a solar photovoltaic system, an electric vehicle charging station and low-emitting materials. It also eliminated the use of all chlorofluorocarbons.

“It is very difficult to think green when you are putting up a science building,” Kates said. “Science labs are notorious for being energy hogs.”

With the solar panels and a design that emphasizes the use of natural light, architects created a building that is energy efficient and maintains low operating costs.

Seaver cost $23.5 million and the other two academic buildings will cost about $40 million total.

At the Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, an environmentally friendly dining commons and residence hall opened in 2004, said plant engineer Tom Shaffer.

More than 50 percent of the building materials were made within 500 miles of campus and 10 percent of the materials are recycled.

Shaffer thinks the buildings will have a lasting effect on the environment and the community.

“I think it is a trend that the college in the community is inspiring,” he said.

With improvements in the recycling industry, new demands by the state to reduce greenhouse gas emission and growing concerns that the earth is warming at a record rate, von Wodtke said the time is ripe to go green.

“There is a tremendous opportunity to change for the better,” he said. “Going green doesn’t mean you are giving things up. It means that you are actually improving your life.”